Reagent feeder



March 30,1926. 1,578,356-

' T. M. OWEN I REAGENT FEEDER Filed May 9, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m WMWM W March 30 1926. 1,578,356

T. M. OWEN REAGENT FEEISER Filed May 9, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Lad/bless: I a 75m 71 Owen.

Patented Mar. 30', 1926.

. UNITED STATES l I .TOM M"; OWEN, or.wernac f gfi f Application: filed. May 9,

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that'I, ToM'M; OWEN, a subjectofthe 'King' of Great Britain, and a resident of Wallace, Shoshone County Ida ho have invented 'a certain new and useful Improvementin Reagent -Feede1's,-of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates tofimprovements on reagent feeders particularly adapted for use in connection with flotation apparatus; although not necessarily limited to such use. The object'ofthe lnvention is to provide 7 I an improved apparatus forsupplying predetermined quantities of reagent oivother liquid mater als, w th means for vary1ng the supply 1n minute proportions as required 1 for the purpose to which the material is to be used.

.The invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating certain preferred forms 1n which my invention may be embodied. In the drawings I Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus constructed accordance with my invention; V Y

Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus shown'in'Figu-re 1;"

Figure 3 is atra'nsverse sectional view 0 the, apparatus shown in Figure 2.;

'Figure 4; 's an enlarged detailed section taken on line 4 4 ofxFi'gure 3] j Figure 5 isan enlargeddetail ofone form of grooved surface of the feeding pulley. I

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentaryylew of one form of surface of feeding pulleywhich may be utilized in connection-with 'myinvention." I o a Figure '7 is a sectional view of the pulley surface illustrated in Figure 6. j I

Referring now to the-details shown inthe drawings, my improved feeder consists of a suitable receptacle for'the liquid, such as v a reagent, which in the form shown comprises a rectangular tank having side walls 10'-10, end walls 11-11 and bottom 12. Rotatably mounted on the tank isa pulley 13 on shaft 1 1 having bearing supportsjat' opposite ends on bearings-1515 on the SldG': walls 10-1 0.' The arrangement 1S suchthat the bee: portion ofthe periphery er the pulley 1.3 revolves within-the reagent or 1924. semi Nor-712,111.

othcrli'quid material which it desired to r supply the pulley having a surface towhich the liquid material i'sadaptedto adhere,and

beelevated thereby duringthe feeding 'op'eratlon. In the form shown in Figuresl and.

2, the pulley is 'provid'ed with a plain surv face which would be suitable formanytypes ofliquids. The, pulley may be driven in any suitable manner, as ;for instance, by power appliedto a driving of the shaft 14.".

v A shaft 20 extends acrossthe tanklpar} allel with the axis of the pulley 13; tliijs shaft being supportedjat its ends inbraclrets .2122 on opposite sidewalls 10-10 iofthc Extending from the shaft 20 is a plurality offcontact members'i23 23. These tank.

contact member's each have an end portion pulley- 16 on'oneend I adapted to'engage the surface of the pulley 13 at an upwardly inclined angle and an- In the form showntheyjc0mpr1s'ea'series other portion extending downwardly over a "transverse receiver or trough 245.". 3

of wires eachhavinga supporting'portion: 25, an upwardly e'xtending endportion 26 engaging the pulley; and a third portion 27 branching downwardly from the "meeting point ofthe-portions 25 and 26,' so as to convey separate streams of material "into the trough 24 as clearly shown in Figure 1. In case a. larger supply is desired,:of'course, th ese contact members be made inthe form of plates havingafwider surface" for conducting the rea-ge v the pulley into the trough,

f from the surface of Thesurf'lce of. the pulleyi' may also'be varied-depending upon 'the character of the 'materlal andwthe amount which it is desired tobefed,for instance in Figure 5 a'modi- I fied form is shown in whichthe ends offthe contact members 23" engage, in grooves 30,

formed about the surface ofthe pulleyli In another modified formi shown in Figures- ,6 and 7, a plurality of cups 31 31 are pro- "vided, said cups being spaced ap art to provide a c ontinuous smoothsectionof thepulfley face .therebetween agalnst which the contact members c23-e23 engage. In order to divert the reagent spilled from these cups 1 as they pass over the top'ofthe'p'ulley a plurality 101" diverting, project-ions, ea -=52 placed cups Els -3'1 "ez-mh having diverging sidewal'ls sloping.

' awayen opposite sides thereof immediately' below the superimposcd"cup31. v

, lYhen in operation a portion of the material carried upon the pulley lace isldiverted I to each ,or the centaci; me-ab ses and fchus 'divided'into a nnmber,ofsmall streains, one

' stream dropping from thel'ewe r point Oi each wire. These stre an'ismay be: 'varie'd in-size depending upen several varying fa'ceers, snch as the size-Girlie contact member, thespeed of rotation of the pulley, ehe conformation f e the pulley-surface, or "the character ofthe ccndit'iens a' liquid material ay tlius from each ccntactgmeniberkas desired.

In order to provide i 'ir'ther adjustment of 'jghe feeding rate I 2 provide .a laterally ad ljustable receiving troughs Y In r the "form,

f'shovvn, the discliarge s OutB l-ef the: trough t ,is. .nipnnted fcslide through Lthe side ,WELll; 10 e and .bracket'frgl, while .the othere1 1d0f the tre'ugh is provided with a bracket 35 thread edon: an inclined screwl36 having supports 7 on fopposite sides of thel receptacle. and pro- ,maythus. be removed rhorizontallyby means vided 'withgan'i adjustable liandi Wheel 371 011 tJhH-Qirtlsids effsajid receptacle. "The ill-Qflg'll ef'the threaded shaft 1 36,andihandlveheel :3?

V 7 ISOZZLS to reeeivelhestream cf reagentirema yarying. ,number, efrvvires. In, rderv to pro v1de;a,l further .minute' adgustment; one end (if the trough. .isfsl arpened. to a kni fe. edge,

as indicated-at 381. This. edgeicanjbefmoved I inte ipesiiion..s0.jthat the s tream ref glcbules ".d goppingl'frern particular. .wireE-Iwill fall direct-51y 0 nlfqhisrknifeedgeandbe v supplied in any proportion desiredrie pertionzbeing' diverted intd tlie'gtreugh and; the other poi tio'nI falling. onf the u'tsideand returning to the/bath; lMeallsna re also provided for ads justing' theip'ositicnlof the'shaft .2O.-a11d' con} iact' (members carr'ied ,therebv. As herein fslimvn tl1is,n1eans;ccnsistscf.an arm AC0 v fixed 150 one end efq the shaft V20 and-,havingits i eenternend mon'nt-edhtween a pair: 0f eppositely disposed st ops ell l-2 carried 011' an ad- .justable screwed mounted. in'fche support-4 4i. g'l-hisf adjustable screwwm ay be raised or H :le veredby operating itshandvvheel .7451 thus raising er loweri ngihe. arm; 40. and rotating the Esha-fb 20. accordingly to .-.vary 'the I tension Iof the, jc ontact members 23 asfidesired.

' i Altllcugh 51' have illustraigedlandv described is ene p'articular?embcdimellt Of 'Invinv htien,

l it ivill be understodEthafi.I dejinet-iwish to] be limited .to the exact construction shown 1 and describ,ed,but that variens changes and lnd'dificaticns .may be made it'hcut departing' iremfthe spirit.a1icl inent cfimylinvena 1 a f feeder device, a r'eceptac le, ele

.vatif ggmeans provided wish: surface. af-

" 2:111 a feeder device, a receptacle elevat '.l11g i1 1ea11S,pIlOYlded W1th a surface affording ntj or material to be fed; Under .ordi- V "receptacle,

fording adhesion thereto 0i; liquid 'material,

members in ounted adj accnli and extending in to contact with said elevalersurface at an incllned angleto divert a portion '01 material I 'therefrcm, and a trongh beneath sa d 'contacta'members adapted to receive enateriala 1 by gravity from said ccntactmembers, said varying; numbers thereof.

adhesion thereto Of liquid material, amember mount-ed adjacent ,and extending' inte CQII:

tact with said r eleva tor surface at anjine ,clined angleiw divert aviportion'tiof: material Qtl1ereit'rOm and a ireugh. beneath isaid cOntactv member, adapted to receive material by gravityf fromusaid meme 1nember,.- one end of said troiigh having; a. knifeedge partition- ,ada'pted "to, divide a s tream vitroin; said f contact .rneniber, and .means for adwstmg said; trough horizontally;

' 3, Ina ifeederldevice a recebtaclel V ding means provided Witha surfaceafiording adhes on, atheretov of ,l quid materlal ,a ser es of aligned carry ng devlces en: said surface,

members} mounted i'adj a cent ,and extending 7 inte centjact, with, said elevator surface interlIlGOlliLiflfiCllilCGHt ser es of al gned dev ces and arranged at an inclined angle tediverb .a' portiongof matenialltherefrem: anda trough beneath saidcontact membersadapted to receive material'by gravifcytherefrem; i 1111a feederl device a receptacle, a. pillley having a I surface affording. adhesion theret0 er. liquid materi l, supporting member. parallel ithFsaid pulley alseries of ccntactinembers carried by said supporting .members i and arranged. in inclinedlcontacb mg position'relative w said prulleyf to{divert a ortion. eflliquid materia'l therefrom, :arre- ,ceiving treugh Qbenea'th said .centactlmmbers, and.- means efor' adjusiqing said ,trengh longitudinally.pfrsaidsipulley.

"ley 1 having ;a --surface afiording flaidhesien v r 5; In aafeeder device; ,a receptacle awpul- 'tliereto ofjliquidzmateriaha Su PQrtingmember parallel, withsaid pulleyga series Of cen- I tact members carried .by said v as,upperti ng members and arranged in inclined .icontact- 1 ingpoeition relativetozs'aid'pulley.,t0divert 'a iportion of. liquid :materialitherefroin, a H

receiving trongh beneath csaid; centachmeM- hers, ,:and IHQQIISI-fO-T adjusting said f i gh longitudinally er"-.-.said pulley comprising a screw ssha ftnnou'nted transversely oflsaid ivitlrsaidzlsrough; I H I v :6. In a feeder 1 device, 5a irecepiacle,,

and having-[threaded.connection ing position relative to said pulley to diveifi tudinall yfeiiisaid iifiiley, a screw I I a portion of liquid material therefrom, a shaft mounted tmnsversely of said reeep- Y receiving trough'beneath said contact memtacle, end havingthreaded connection with 10' bers, one end of said trough having a knife said trough.

edge partition adapted'to divide a ,stream 'Signed at Wa-11ace,'Idaiie foh i s of I from contact members registering therewith, May H324. and means for adjusting said troughlpngif X 

